CAPUTO: Verlander or Scherzer? Both have to deliver

Detroit Tigers' Max Scherzer responds to a question during a news conference before Game 5 of the American League baseball championship series against the Boston Red Sox Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, in Detroit. Scherzer is expected to start Game 6 for Detroit on Saturday in Boston. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

One of the most-debated subjects in this town: Who is the Tigers’ ace?

Is it is Max Scherzer, who won 21 games in 2013 and the likely American League Cy Young Award winner?

Or is it Justin Verlander, arguably the best starting pitcher of his generation?

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The answer for the Tigers Saturday and Sunday in Boston better be, “Both.”

The Tigers’ wiggle room is gone. It disappeared with another one-run defeat - this time 4-3 - to the Boston Red Sox Thursday in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

Detroit trails three games to two in the set. Win now - or it is over.

The Tigers’ starting pitching has been outstanding this postseason. It is no accident. They have the best starting pitching in baseball. It has had to carry a lineup of high-priced stars, who have not lived up to their enormous salaries and considerable reputations, and a bullpen which is decidedly a weak link.

It looked odd and out of place Thursday when the Red Sox scored three runs during the second inning, and another in the third, off Tigers’ starter Anibal Sanchez.

Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli drilled a tremendously long solo home run in the vegetation behind the wall in straightaway center field at Comerica Park. The Tigers kicked the ball around a bit, most notably an error by Miguel Cabrera at third base, and a misplay by Sanchez.

But true to the tradition of Tiger starters this season, Sanchez settled down. He kept it close enough, throwing shutout innings in his final three on the mound, to allow for a possible Tigers’ rally.

But the Tigers’ bats have displayed an alarming tendency to come up short lately.

Enter Scherzer and Verlander. The Tigers don’t necessarily have to score a lot of runs with their aces on the mound. They just have to do something, which has been a problem for Verlander.

He has allowed one run in 23 innings covering three starts during the playoffs. The Tigers are 1-2 in his starts.

The bullpen could hold onto to win when he left a game scoreless in Game 2 of the ALDS at Oakland, and he allowed a home run to Napoli Tuesday. The Tigers lost both games, 1-0.

Jim Leyland said he is not likely to bench struggling first baseman Prince Fielder.

“He has had some good at bats, but doesn’t have much to show for them,” Leyland said. “When he steps into the box, it’s like people say, they keep waiting for it. I still feel good something big could happen at any time.”

Cabrera has had more good moments than Fielder this postseason, but has had some bad ones, too. He got thrown out at the plate by a mile trying to score from second on a base hit Thursday, and his error was inexcusable. Sanchez uncorked a wild pitch, which was awfully hurtful. When a team is hitting as feebly as the Tigers, they can’t afford fundamentally unsound moments.

Scherzer was brilliant in his Game 2 start in this series. The Tigers lost that night, too, but because of their bullpen. It could not hold a 5-1 lead.

Even if Scherzer and Verlander are outstanding Saturday and Sunday, it would be precarious if they turn the ball over to the bullpen with a one- or two-run lead in the late innings at Fenway Park.

The Tigers have to produce runs. There is some comfort knowing Scherzer will be on the mound Saturday, and Verlander if there is a Game 7 on Sunday.

But they can’t do it alone. It can’t just be the big-time pitchers coming through.